THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING REGISTRATIONS FOR THE WSU DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC'S COMPOSING FOR TODAYS CHURCH: HANDS ON TRAINING FOR CHURCH MUSICIANS IS MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 Deadline Extended: Friday, August 11, 2017!

If you’re a church musician, chances are good you’ve composed or arranged something for your choir or congregation to sing—or wished you could.

Writing your own music used to be a luxury. It isn’t anymore: it’s a necessity. In a time when tastes are changing rapidly and budgets continue to shrink, it’s more important than ever that you know how to compose music that meets the needs of your people. But who can afford the time—and the cost—of private composition study?

That’s why we’ve developed Composing for Today’s Church, a practical, hands-on training seminar for church musicians led by two of Detroit’s leading composers of music for worship: Dr. Jerry Custer, an accomplished church choir director and published composer, and Dr. Norah Duncan IV, who brings a lifetime of experience in creating accessible, powerful music that enables vibrant congregational singing.

No matter what church tradition you come from, Composing for Today’s Church will help you recognize and develop your own compositional voice. In this seminar, you will:

Discover how seasoned composers analyze and unlock the content of text

Learn how to quickly and easily create introductions, transitions, and descants

Turn a hymn into an anthem your choir can sing, regardless of size

Compose an original piece of music for congregational singing

Go inside the composer’s workshop as two master composers share their secrets

Get immediate performance, feedback, and coaching for your own compositions